Folding bed



H. MINTZ FOLDING BED Filed Sept. 23 1922 Patented Dec. 18, i923.

HENRY MINTZ, OF ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO NEW ENGLAND BED- DING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- SETTS.

FOLDNG BED.

Application filed September 23, 1922.

To ctZZ'wtom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Min'rz, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Boston, Roxbury, in the county of Suffolk and State vof Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to folding beds of the davenport type and relates more particularly to improvements in the means for holding the swinging mattress supporting frame in substantially vertical position to form a back-rest when the device is used as a davenport.

W hen it is desired to swing the back-rest downwardly into alignment with the seat to form a b ed it is ordinarily necessary for the user to manipulate bolts or catches, or to impart a quick forward and back jerk to the back member in order to disengage it from the retaining means employed, and then as the back approaches horizontal position to unfold the supporting legs which are hinged to its rear side. The object of the present invention is to simplify the above operation by relieving the user of the necessity of manipulating retaining catch-es or otherwise disengaging the back-rest retaining means as an independent step in converting the device from a davenport couch into a bed.

To this end the present invention comprises connections between -the supporting legs for the back-rest and the back-rest retaining means so arranged that unfolding of the legs automatically disengages the retaining means, permitting the back-rest to swing freely down into horizontal position. To permit of this result the retaining means is so devised that when released as above described it is positively prevented from reengagement with its cooperating parts until the-legs have again been folded. In the accompanying drawings one embodiment of means useful in attaining` the above object is illustrated by way of example and in sucli drawings:

Figl is an end elevation, partly broken Serial No. 590,036.

away and partly in section. illustrating the device of the present invention as arranged to form a davenport couch;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the device showingthe back-rest as folded down upon the bottom frame in position for shipment;

F ig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation showing the parts as positioned to permit the back-rest to be swung rearwardly to form a bed;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation showing the back-rest as occupying a horizontal position to form a bed; and

F ig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. il.

The folding bed constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises end frames such as l, of which but one is herein illustrated. it bein(T understood that the other is in all respects similar to that illustrated, and that the attachments and other movable parts hereinafter specifically described are duplicated at the opposite end of the bed. Each end frame comprises legs 2-3, and the front legs and rear legs of the two end frames are preferably united by longitudinal bars 1l. rihe mattress supporting frame is also secured to the end frames at a suitable height from the floor such mattress supporting frame comprising a stationary part and a movable part, the latter constituting the back-rest when the device is employed as a davenport couch. The stationary part of the mattress supporting frame comprises end members such as 5 united at opposite ends to the front and rear legs 2, 3 respectively. Each end member is preferably formed of angular iron and comprises the vertical flange 6 and the horizontal flange 7. The movable portion of the mattress supporting frame comprises end members such as 8, also formed from angular iron, having the horizontal flange 9 and the vertical flange 10. The flanges 7 and 10 are united by means of hinges such as ll permitting the movable frame to swing relatively to the liXed portion of the frame. The movable part of the mattress supporting frame or back-rest as it is hereinafter termed, is provided at each end with a supporting leg such as 12, pivotally secured to the flange at the point 13. For holding the leg in operative position a folding brace comprising the members 14; and 15 is provided. the member 14 being pivcted to the leg 12 at 1G, and the member 15 being pivoted to the flange 10 at 17. The members 111 and 5 are united by a pivot pin 18. the joint between them being preferably of the selflocking type which is commonly used in step ladder braces. Y

For holding the back-rest frame in upright position, as indicated in Fig. 1, a releasable latch device or brace is provided. This latch member or brace is furnished at one end with a curved portion 21 which passes down through a slot'22 in the flange 9 of the back-rest frame and is provided with a projecting pin 23 which slides freely in an elongate 24- in the vertical flange 10. The opposite end of the brace 20 is provided with a curved tail 25 which extends downwardly through an elongate slot 26 in the iiange 7 of the stationary part of the frame. The tail 25 is of suiiicient length to prevent Y disengagement of the brace or latch member fromth'e slot 26 when the back-rest frame is moved to the position shown in Fig. L1. At a point adjacent to the junction of the tail member 25 with the main body of the latch member or brace, the latter is provided with a notch 27 in its lower edge adapted to engage the edO'e 2S of the slot 26, the en gagement of the notch with such edge serving to holdY the back-rest in the position indicated in Fig. 1. The upper edge of the notch 27 is defined by one side 29 of the substantially triangular lug or projection 8O outstanding from the lower edge of the brace or latch member. The opposite side 31 of such triangular projection constitutes a cam element the purpose of which will be described hereinafter. A link 32 is pivotally connected at the point 33 to the folding brace member 15 and the opposite end of this link is secured to the pin 23 which projects from the rear end of the latch member 20.

Then the device is to be used as a davenport couch. the legs 12 are folded against the back rest as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and suchfolding of the legs serves to draw the link 82 upwardly, thereby causing the pin 23 to occupy a position at the upper end of the slot 21: as shown in Fig. 1. 1n this` position, engagement of the notch 27 with the edge 28 of slot 2G serves positively to hold the back-rest in upright position, the engagement of the side 29 of pro- Y jection 8O with the upper surface of flange Aposition shown in Fig. 2.

wardly on the stationary frame as indicated in Fig. 2, it is merely necessary to pull the baclrrest forwardly thereby causing the brace20 to slide forwardly until the lug' 30 slips over the edge 28, whereupon the latch moves downwardly through the slot 26 to the On the other hand if it be desired to convert the device from a davenport couch to a bed, the user first unfolds the legs 12, causing them to occupy the position shown in Fig. '8. Y This movement of the legs causes the link 32 to move downwardly until the pin 23 occupies the lower end of the slot 24. This movement of the pin `pushes the latch 2O bodily in a forward direction, j disengaging the notch 27 Vfrom the edge 28 of liange 7 and permitting the triangular lug 30 to assume the position shown in Fig. 3, wherein the cam surface 31 is brought into engagement with the edge 28. The back-rest may now beswung freely downward into the position shown in Fig. Ll, the cam surface 31 riding over the edge 28 and lifting the projection 30 with the brace 20 so as to prevent accidental engagement of the notch 27 with the edge 28 during such movement of the bach-rest. When it is desired again to employ the device as a davenport couch, the legs 12 are swung downwardly, thus moving the pin 23 to the up- )er end of slotV 2a'. and uaon raisin(r backl i t:

rest frame to a position slightly forward of that shown in Fig. 1 the notch 27 ma airainV may be made from time to time as may be necessitated by the demands of the trade without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A device of the character described comprising a bottom frame and a back-rest frame hinged thereto, a latch pivotally secured to one of said frames and having a. body portion provided with a securing notch and with a. rigid fulcrum projection immediately adjacent said notch, and means `for rocking the latch on the fulcrum projection to control the engagement of the notch with an element of the other of said frames.

2. A. device Vof the characterV described includingV a pair of hingedly connected frames each having a Y slot therein, and means for locking said frames in relatively adjusted position, said means comprising a latch having a. pin fitting the slot ofV oneof the frames and having a notched portion engageable in the slot of the second of said frames, said latch having a fulcrum portion adjacent the notch therein, and mea-ns for shifting the pin in its slot to selectively present the notch or the iulcrum et the latch to an element of the second ot said frames.

3. A folding bed of the davenport type having a bottom trame and a bach-rest hinged thereto, a latch member movably connected to the bacl-rest Vand having a notch engageable with an element of the bottom frame for holding the back-rest in upright position, a supporting leg hinged to the back-rest, and means comprising a link connecting the leg and latch member whereby movement of the leg to operative position serves to disengage the notch in the latch member from the cooperating element of the frame.

4. A folding bed of the class described comprising' a xed frame member having an elongate slot therein, a member hinged to the fixed member, a brace connected to the hinged member and extending through the slot in the xed frame member, said brace having a latching notch engagcable With the edge of the slot, a leg pivotally secured to the hinged Jiframe member, and a means comprising a link connecting the leg and brace whereby movement of the leg to operative position imparts bodily movement to the brace to disengage its notch from the edge of the slot.

5. A folding bed of the class described comprising a ixed frame member having an opening therethrough, a seccnd trame member pivotally secured to the tirst member, a latch connected to the movable meniber and extending through the opening in the fixed member, said latch having a. notch for engagement with the edge ot' the opening, a leg hinged to the second frame, and means connecting the leg with the latch whereby movement of the leg to operative position disengnges the latch notch from the edge of the opening.

6. A folding bed of the class described comprising a pair of frame members hinged together, one of said members having a slot therein, a latch member having one end eX- tending through the slot and provided with a notch engageable with the edge ot the slot, means connecting the opposite end ot the latch member to the other frame meniber for limited sliding movement relatively thereto, and means for moving the last named end of the latch member to disengage its notch from the edge of the slot.

7. A folding bed of the davenport type having a bottom frame and a back-rest frame, a latch member provided adjacent to one of its ends with an element engageable with an element of the bottom frame forA retaining the back-rest frame in upright position, a. pin secured in the opposite end ot the latch member and engaging the slot in the back-rest fra-me, and means tor moving said pin longitudinally ot the slot to disengage the latch element from the cooper ating element of the bottom trame.

8. A folding bed of the davenport type iaving a bottom frame and a back-rest trame' hinged thereto, a latch member having one end extending through an opening in the bottom trame and provided with an element engageable with the latter frame, a pin projecting from the other end of the iatch member and slidably engaging an elongate slot in the back-rest frame, a. leg hinged to the latter frame, and means operatively connecting said leg to said project ing pin.

9. A folding bed of the davenport type ha fing a bottom frame and a backrest hinged thereto, a latch member having a notch adjacent to one end for engagement with an element of the bottom frame, guide means associated with the back-rest frame permitting limited bodily movement ot the opposite end ot' the latch relatively to the latter frame, a leg hinged to the back-rest frame, a foldable brace for the leg, and a link connecting` one element oft said brace with the last named end of the latch.

l0. A device of the character described including a pair of relatively oldable frames, a latch carried by one of the frames and having interlocking engagement with the other frame, said latch being releasable by relative movement or" the frames, and' means for shitting the latch With respect to both of said frames to render the same inoperative.

l1. A folding bed of the davenport type having a bottom frame member provided with a slot therethrough, a second frame member hinged to the first member, a latch connected at one end to the second frame member and having its opposite end projecting through the slot in the bottom fra-me member and provided with a notch engageable with the edge of the slot, and a lug projecting from the latch adjacent to the notch to prevent untimely engagement ot the notch With the edge of the slot.

l2. A davenport bed comprising a bottom trame member having an elongate slot therein, a second trame member hinged to the rst, a latch slidably connected at one end to the second frame member and having its other end projecting through the aforesaid slot, the latter end of the latch having a notch engageable with the edge ot the slot, a lug projecting from the latch adjacent to its notch provided with a cam surface engageable with the edge of the notch to prevent untimely engagement of the notch therewith, and means for moving that end ot the latch connected With the second frame member for disengaging the notch from the edge oi the slot.

13. A davenport bed comprising a bottom trame member and a second trame member hinged thereto, and a latch for normally retaining said hinged member in upright position comprising an elongate member having curved end portions, one of said end portions projecting through a slot in the first frame member and the other through a slot in the second iframe member, means slidably connecting the latter end to the hinged frame member7 means carried by the first named end of the latch for engagement 10 Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, 15

this 21st da-y of September, 1922.

HENRY MINTZ. 

